Unani Mako (red var.). Action Twigs and root bark— stimulating, expectorant, hepatic, astringent, antirheumatic, alterative, antifungal. Dried branches— sedative and analgesic. Used for chronic bronchitis, chronic eczema and rheumatism.
Solanum ferox Linn. 611
Key application As a supportive
therapy for chronic eczema.
(German Commission E.)
The plant is rich in alkaloidal glycosides. Alpha-, beta-, gamma-solamarine were isolated from the fruits. Tomatidenol I existed in the plant as alpha- and beta-solamarine. Solasodine was obtained in traces as secondary alkaloid; it existed as solasonine and solamargine. Aerial parts gave alpha-and beta-soladulcine, the glycoallcaloids. The sterols were present in free form and as esters, glucosides and palmitic esters of glucosides.
Beta-solamarine shows significant tumour-inhibiting activity. Steroidal saponins are antifungal; alkaloids are anticholinergic; solasodine exhibit an tiphlogistic activity.
Solanum elaeagnifolium Cay.
Family Solanaceae.
Habitat Native to tropical America; naturalized in India as a weed (met with in cultivated fields and gardens in Coimbatore).
English White Horse-Nettle.
Action Plant—used as a poultice for sores and ulcers. The plant
is a rich source of the steroidal
alkaloid, solasodine. The fruit and leaves contain 3—4% (solasodine 3.2%) and 0.18% total alkaloids.
Fruits also contain 0.55% diosgenin.
A related species S. khasianum (Assam, Sikkim, West Bengal, Orissa and the Nilgiris, ascending to an altitude of
1,600 m) is also a good source ofsolasodine. The fruits collected from Nilgiris contain 5.4% solasodine on dry weight basis.
Solanum erianthum D. Don.
Synonym S. verbascifolium auct. non Linn.
Family Solanaceae.
Habitat The tropical and subtropical India and the Andamans. Cultivated in South India. (for berries).
Folk Chundai (Tami Nadu,
